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by KuriQuinn
Summary: "You guys have been far away for way too long. Now that you're back, I'm making sure to keep an eye on you." There's no opportunity to snap back at him before the fledgling Uchiha family is surrounded by a gaggle of old friends. [Part of the Legacy of Fire series]


**Summary:** "You guys have been far away for _way_ too long. Now that you're back, I'm making sure to keep an eye on you." There's no opportunity to snap back at him before the fledgling Uchiha family is surrounded by a gaggle of old friends.

 **Disclaimer:** This story utilizes characters, situations and premises that are copyright Masashi Kishimoto, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and Viz Media. No infringement on their respective copyrights pertaining to episodes, novelizations, comics or short stories is intended by the author in any way, shape or form. This fan oriented story is written solely for the author's own amusement and the entertainment of the readers. It is not for profit. Any resemblance to real organizations, institutions, products or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All fiction, plot and Original Characters with the exception of those introduced in the books, manga, video games, novelizations and anime, are the sole creation of KuriQuinn and using them without permission is considered rude, in bad-taste and will reflect seriously on your credibility as a writer. You will have a house demolished around you if you are found plagiarizing.

 **Warning:** _Spoiler_ s for pretty much everything up to _Naruto_ _Gaiden_.

 **Canon-Compliance:** Takes place during the _Blank Period_.

 **Fanon-Compliance:** Takes place several years before _An Inch of_ _Gold_ and _Unplanned._

 **AN:** Based on a Friday Fic Request on my tumblr. It ended up becoming part of the Legacy of Fire canon. Oops? Anyhow, hope it makes up for the fact there was no IOG this week. If you follow my updates on tumblr, you know it's because I am fighting a chapter that doesn't want to be written. Also, if you haven't been following me on tumblr too, there are a number of fic I have published there that are not on this site for various reasons. Do check them out :)

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Their first night back in Konoha, they stay at Sakura's parents' house.

It's not exactly what Sasuke would prefer (his relationship with his in-laws is tenuous at best), but there's not much choice in the matter. He and his wife didn't exactly leave a house behind when they left the village, putting that matter off until they returned from their journey, and he has no intention of imposing on Naruto or Kakashi.

As it is, he gets the shock of his life when Mebuki Haruno, upon seeing Sarada cradled in Sakura's arms, gives a shriek of joy and hooks both her daughter and Sasuke around their necks, forcing them into one of the most awkward embraces he has ever experienced. Sarada begins to fuss at the noise, Sakura complains and Sasuke can't help sputter in shock when his mother-in-law plants two large, wet kisses on either side of his face.

He wonders if maybe he didn't accidentally activate his Rinnegan and enter a separate dimension.

Mebuki spends the rest of the evening, when she isn't cuddling or cooing over Sarada, ruffling Sasuke's hair and squeezing his shoulders with something like pride and affection.

Considering the woman once flat out told him she hated him, Sasuke is understandably rattled.

Kizashi is also much more mellow than Sasuke remembers him being, offering him a book of crossword puzzles and suggesting, "You look like a man in need of a distraction."

Rather than get caught up in stilted small-talk, Sasuke accepts the offering and spends the rest of the night in tolerable silence. Once Sakura finishes nursing Sarada after dinner, he is able to excuse himself under the pretense of putting the baby to sleep while allowing his wife to catch up with her family.

 _Our family too, I suppose_ , he thinks as he sits beside his sleeping infant daughter.

Given that the Uchiha number a grand total of three, they can't really afford to be choosy.

The next day, the peace comes to an end, as over a lavish breakfast, Mebuki starts in on the questions – what are their plans, where do they intend to live, will Sasuke be getting a job, when will Sakura return to the clinic, if they intend to hire a babysitter –

Sakura, being the chatty individual that she is, gets pulled into the conversation, and Sasuke, feeling very out-of-place, quietly takes his leave. There are matters he has to see to anyhow, and as unpleasant as they are, they're preferable to this.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Sakura asks as she walks him to the door of her childhood home, touching his arm lightly.

He shakes his head. "Not this time."

Unspoken is the promise that once they settle in, he will occasionally need her presence on these pilgrimages.

The Konoha cemetery looks the same as it always did.

He stares at his brother's name on the memorial stone for the Fourth Shinobi World War, and imagines Itachi standing before him. He has thought of him often in his travels, however in those moments he always felt very distant and detached. Here in Konoha, it's different; though it's not the ground where Itachi's bones rest, it _is_ where his heart remained throughout his life. And so, it is here that Sasuke quietly imagines relating his journey over the past few years – his and Sakura's initial mission, the first weeks of married life where he tried to figure out what it meant to be a husband, discovering how past secrets still held sway over his destiny, learning that he was going to be a father –

Holding his child for the first time.

More than ever, Sasuke wishes his family was still alive to see it all.

The next place he visits is the old Uchiha district. It is still in ruins, still awaiting the day when he decides what is to be done with it. For all he knows as of this moment, that day will never come. Looters have been through here, it appears, because there are things missing from the streets and from inside his childhood home.

The only hint of life in the place is a stubbornly growing bush filled with cherry tomatoes.

"I'm pretty sure Kakashi-sensei's been taking care of it," he hears Naruto say from a few feet behind him. Sasuke was so lost in thought he barely noticed him arrive. "I mean, he has been betting on you two since we were kids, so it stands to reason."

"Sentimental fool," Sasuke mutters under his breath.

"Says the guy paying homage to a plant."

"What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. Come on, there's something I need to show you. Sakura's meeting us."

There's nothing urgent in his friend's tone – more pleased, and possibly with a hint of smugness. "What did you do?"

"Oi - why do you assume I did something?"

"Because you're you."

Naruto dissolves into an annoyed, needlessly offended rant about how much Sasuke doesn't appreciate him, and how he's a big deal these days and ought to be shown some respect.

Sasuke smirks and tunes him out within the first minute, thinking absently that he hopes Sarada is awake when he returns to the Haruno household. She is far too young to smile yet, but she has begun to recognise people, and whenever she sees him or Sakura, her eyes light up and she kicks her tiny feet with pleasure.

Sasuke could watch her for hours.

That plan is not to be, however; Naruto leads him down a familiar road to a house Sasuke has been to only a handful of times. Sakura is waiting outside the gate with Hinata, both women cradling their infants. Sarada is asleep, while the tow-headed child in Hinata's arms babbles in frustration.

"Yours, I assume?" Sasuke says dryly.

"You're not funny," Naruto scowls, but the expression doesn't last long; as soon as they are within reaching distance, a goofy, proud smile passes over his face and he accepts the baby from Hinata. "This is Boruto – the next future Hokage!"

The blue-eyed child that Naruto holds out to him is red-faced and with drool soaking down the front of his shirt.

Now, Sasuke is very glad he didn't accept the invitation to stay at the Uzumaki household – it's obvious Boruto has started cutting teeth. Sakura has been telling him teething horror stories, and Sasuke hopes to limit that experience to his own children and not those belonging to his loud-mouthed friend.

"If he wants to be," Hinata adds serenely, smiling up at Sasuke. "Welcome back home. We're so happy you and Sakura have returned. And congratulations on the baby – Sarada is beautiful."

"Hm," Sasuke acknowledges, deciding that he always did like Hinata, and turns to Sakura.

Without a word, his wife passes Sarada to him, and he cradles her expertly in his arm. Under normal circumstances he would kiss her forehead, press his face into her cheeks and relish in the smell of her (provided Sakura has been kind enough to change her already), but Naruto is watching with an encouraging, expectant grin, and Sasuke refrains.

The idiot is far too conceited about this whole thing, as if somehow he is responsible for it, and as it is he looks far too amused by the sight of Sasuke holding a baby.

 _At least mine doesn't look like she's leaking from the mouth…_

"Why are we here?" Sasuke asks once his daughter is secure in his arms.

"I told you, I have to show you something."

"We've already been to your house before."

"Don't be stupid, that's not what we're showing you," Naruto rolls his eyes, passing Boruto back to his wife. "Come on."

He indicates the house directly across from him and Hinata. Sasuke shoots Sakura questioning look – _Should we be worried? –_ but she looks just as uncertain as he feels.

"Hinata hasn't said anything," she tells him quietly as they follow the other couple across the street. Naruto raps on the door three times, and then lets himself in. Hinata beams at them and follows, and without any other recourse, Sakura and Sasuke do the same.

The door closes behind them, shrouding them in darkness. Sasuke barely has time to consider activating the Sharingan, when a sudden shout goes up.

"SURPRISE! WELCOME HOME!"

Sarada startles at the noise and begins to cry. Sasuke has to reign himself in from moving into a crouch, intending to lash out with feet since his arm is occupied. Beside him, Sakura is already reaching for Sarada in preparation for an attack – until the actual words bleed through and the lights come back on.

Sasuke stares at the sight of what appears to be his entire graduating class and their spouses crammed into the large living area. And quite a few babies, too, it appears, all of whom are reacting to the sudden noise with varying measures of displeasure (or amusement in the case of a solidly built toddler in a pink dress).

Sakura's hands fly to her mouth. "Oh my gosh!"

"Naruto," Sasuke says quietly, "what did you do?"

Sarada continues to cry and he has no choice but to pass her to Sakura for soothing; there are far too many people here for him to be comfortable to do it himself.

"Oh, don't be an idiot," his friend snorts. "It's a welcome home party – and a baby-shower, I guess, because _someone_ didn't tell us they had a kid while they were away."

"I see," Sasuke grunts. "Thank you. But there's no need for that. And you've upset our daughter. We'll be leaving now."

"Darling," Sakura begins to protest, quiet but with a firm edge that suggests he isn't being acceptably polite.

"Don't be rude, Sasuke. Besides, you can't leave," another familiar voice says and from the crowd of people, Kakashi appears. "This is your house."

Which causes both him and Sakura to freeze – even Sarada appears to still at this.

"Wh-what?" Sakura stammers.

"Exactly what he said," Naruto beams. "This place is for you guys. Kakashi got the building permits figured out, Sai designed it, and Yamato-sensei built it before he left to watch old Snake Face. And Ino did the – what's it called – interior design, and I carried all the furniture and stuff inside."

A second glance around the place and Sasuke sees that the furniture is all familiar – pieces he recognised from his few visits to Sakura's childhood home, and –

 _I see. So that's where the furniture from the Uchiha district went._

"Geez, you guys take forever to get to the point," Ino Yamanaka complains, also striding forward, hand on her hip. She is as imperious and brimming with attitude as ever. "We've been getting this place ready for you for _ages_ and you took forever getting here, you ungrateful jerks." She shoves a finger in Sakura's face. "And don't think you're getting out of apologising for not coming to see me right away when you got home. You owe me a day for that."

"I – you – we," Sakura still appears so disbelieving she can't get the words out. She shakes her head and stares at her former teammates and best friend. "You…got us a house."

"Next to you," Sasuke adds in a deadpan.

"Damn straight," Naruto says. "You guys have been far away for _way_ too long. Now that you're back, I'm making sure to keep an eye on you."

There's no opportunity to snap back at him before the fledgling Uchiha family is surrounded by a gaggle of old friends.

Sai and Ino are the first, of course.

The pale man is wandering around wearing a carrying contraption on his front, similar to the one that Sakura uses to carry Sarada everywhere (and which Sasuke wears only when they are alone). Nestled inside, Sai and Ino's pale, blond child gazes out at them with pale, eerily aware eyes.

"Welcome home, Ugly," Sai says to Sakura. The otherwise unflattering nickname is a bizarre joke between him and Sasuke's wife, and it's for that reason alone that Sasuke doesn't punch him. For the same reason he tolerates the smirking nod and casual acknowledgment, "Coward."

He holds his hand out and Sasuke narrows his eyes a moment before reaching forward to offer it a quick, firm shake.

"Hi, Sasuke!" Ino trills, and of course, a moment later she has glommed on to his arm. "Did you miss me while you were away?"

"…not really."

"Oh, you are still so _mean_!"

"Don't you have your own husband and daughter to troll over?" Sakura demands.

"Inojin's a boy, Forehead!"

"Well, it's not my fault you and your husband both have girly features, Pig!"

"Hah! You want to talk about girly features?!"

And Sasuke promptly finds Sarada deposited in his arm once more while Sakura and her best friend dissolve into familiar bickering that has been pent-up for at least two years. Sai remains utterly oblivious or perhaps uncaring about the interchange, likely as desensitised to their bickering as Sasuke learned to be as a child.

"I suppose that answers the question of whether you could figure out sexual intercourse," the former Root operative remarks casually as they watch their wives. "I had my doubts, but then again, if Naruto could figure it out…"

Sasuke tries to remember if he ever liked this guy, and wonders if Sakura putting Sarada in his arms might not have been a way to ensure him from committing murder.

"Hey, Sai – come over he and help me pour the sake!" Naruto interjects, possibly sensing the rise in killing intent. He begins to shove his friend away from Sasuke and steering him toward the kitchen.

There's no time to breathe a sigh of relief, but two more people appear seemingly out of nowhere.

"Sasuke – it's good to see you," Temari says; her words aren't exactly warm, but they are genuine. "It's been too long."

"Hm," he nods in acknowledgment of that.

He saw Temari rather often during his travels through Suna, and once he and Sakura were treated to the Kazekage's hospitality after a particularly gruesome incident within the village. She hadn't left to get married by yet, and she was one of the few advisors of a Kage that treated Sasuke like a person.

Then again, in her eyes, he is the same as her younger brother – a man with a dark past that she truly believes is capable of redemption.

The former Suna-nin's husband is another matter entirely.

Sasuke greets Shikamaru with a nod, but doesn't bother exchanging words with him.

Shikamaru still resents him for deserting Konoha, and for being the reason that his first mission as a chūnin resulted in utter failure – and the near deaths of almost is entire team. Still, at least they can be civil for the sake of Naruto.

Sasuke knows that over the past few years, Shikamaru has become a close friend of Naruto's. If it weren't for Sasuke, he would likely be his best friend. The man is a genius, and when the blond loudmouth inevitably becomes Hokae, Sasuke can think of no one else that could advise him best.

The Nara's son is about what is expected: about six months old, and the spitting image of Shikamaru. The only difference are Temari's sharp green eyes, which frown up at Sasuke in calculation for about two seconds, before he gets bored and curls his face into his mother's chest to go to sleep.

 _Definitely Shikamaru's kid._

Chōji Akimichi greets Sasuke with a jolly laugh and booming congratulations on Sarada. There is absolutely no resentment in his tone or his features, and Sasuke remembers that the other man has never been the type to hold grudges.

Except, perhaps, over the last morsel of food.

It's more than can be said for his wife. Karui has never forgiven Sasuke for his part in attempting to kidnap her sensei. Even though Killer B and the former Raikage eventually got over it – and the latter isn't even _that_ bitter about his arm anymore – she still scowls at him like she would give anything for a chance to fight him. After a few brief, terse pleasantries and her own congratulations, she sweeps away, bringing their hefty seven-month old daughter to the table to examine the culinary offerings.

Across the room, Sasuke recognises a young woman from his many trips to Cloud City – _Tamaki, isn't it? –_ laughing as she watches Kiba rough housing with Kakashi's identical white-haired sons. Meanwhile, Manako Inuzuka – or is it Hatake now? – converses with her own twin, Hana. Sasuke can't remember ever having seen the two of them together, and he wonders why the latter is even here, until he sees Shino Aburame coalesce practically out of nowhere and hand Hana a drink.

 _Huh._

In the back corner, Maito Gai is teaching a toddler with a bowl cut to punch his palms, while Rock Li gets teary eyed nearby. Tenten is having a drink with Hinata's younger sister, Hanabi, while a little girl with unruly black hair plays with a hulking, wizened Akamaru. Considering Kurenai Yuhi is watching her from nearby, Sasuke supposes the child is hers. He had heard the Asume Sarutobi left a child.

The sheer amount of memories and long-buried connections rattling through his mind are making him dizzy, and Sasuke glances desperately at the door to the house. No one is paying him much attention, he can easily make a quick escape…

"Would you like to see the rest of the house?" a quiet voice asks, and he looks over at Hinata. She smiles kindly, no doubt sensing Sasuke's growing discomfort with the same ease that Sakura is able to do.

Speaking of his wife, she is occupied with Ino, who looks like she has no intention of letting Sakura out of her sight the rest of the night. Naruto and Sai stand nearby, good-naturedly arguing about something.

He simply nods gratefully.

As he follows her from the living room, she leans a little closer to him and says quietly, "Don't worry. If you don't like it, I'm sure Sakura can come up with a believable excuse to demolish it."

His eyes widen in surprise, and against his will, his mouth twitches a bit.

Sasuke wonders if Hinata has always had a sense of humour or if it only developed since she's been married to Naruto.

As it turns out, the rest of the house isn't that bad. In fact, he finds himself at ease here.

The layout is traditional, very reminiscent of his own childhood home (he supposes Naruto and Kakashi have something to do with that), but it's also filled with more of the modern conveniences that have been popping up in towns all over the country. There's even a study with a box-like computer set up (which he privately vows to never touch).

Two bedrooms have been set up and decorated, the larger obviously meant for him and Sakura, while the other is likely meant for a child. There is even a crib, which he raises an eyebrow at Hinata over.

"We supposed when you returned you intended to start a family," she says with a light blush. "I guess we didn't expect...that you wouldn't wait."

"It wasn't completely planned," Sasuke admits, and then nods at the baby in her arms who is now trying to eat his own fist. "Congratulations, yourself."

Hinata beams.

"Thank you." She turns to leave. "If you want, I'll tell the others you're putting the baby down for a nap. That ought to buy you at least a half hour."

"Thank you," Sasuke tells her, genuinely grateful. He foresees a future where Naruto's wife becomes a great ally against the extroverted nature of both their spouses.

Sarada isn't actually tired, of course. She's quietly observing the room, and there's a little bit of time before he has to fetch Sakura to feed her. For now, he can just sit with his daughter in this room – in _her_ room – and let it all sink in.

"It's possible," he tells his solemn eyed daughter, "that our family is larger than I thought."

She makes an inquiring noise at that, and he unselfconsciously bounce-rocks her back and forth. He keeps it up for several long minutes, stopping only when he hears footsteps approaching.

"It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" Kakashi asks Sasuke quietly. He is carrying his own son, a brown-haired toddler that sucks on his thumb and picks at the tiny pair of goggles on his forehead. "Especially considering it's something you never would have expected for yourself."

Sasuke nods at this, grateful that someone here understands his unease; Kakashi is another man who never expected life to turn out in this way.

"Baby," his sensei's tiny son points out solemnly, pointing a chubby finger at Sarada.

"Yes, Obito, that's a baby," Kakashi tells him cheerfully. "And also, inevitable proof that Sasuke Uchiha has had –"

"Finish that sentence and Naruto will be succeeding you as Hokage a lot sooner than expected."

Kakashi beams beneath his mask. "It's nice to have you home again."

Sasuke reflects for several seconds on this, and then allows himself the smallest of smiles. "It's good to be home."

For the first time since he left Konoha all those years ago, the words are the complete truth.

終わり

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 _Reviews and constructive criticism appreciated._

 _クリ_


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